


This House is Falling Apart

by WednesdaysDaughter



Series: For Madison [4]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Emotional Healing, Established Relationship, I hate tagging sfm, M/M, Pack Bonding, Rebuilding the Hale House, Underage Drinking, and it's kind of implied in the ending that a new house will be built, well it's sort of rebuilding in the way that they tear it down
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-29
Updated: 2013-11-29
Packaged: 2018-01-03 00:01:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1063267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WednesdaysDaughter/pseuds/WednesdaysDaughter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A reckless energy grips them all and when Stiles throws the sledgehammer down to grab the bottle of Jack from his Jeep, everyone grins – wild and incapable of being tamed. Scott tackles him to the ground and the warmth in Stiles’ veins makes his hard for him to shake Scott off. Isaac comes to his rescue – a drink Lydia mixed up in his hands – and when he’s free he grabs her hand and they spin around the fire until Allison joins in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This House is Falling Apart

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by the song "Anna Sun" by Walk the Moon, which I strongly suggest listening to as you read this.

The door hangs on its hinges until a sledgehammer knocks it to the ground.

Walls are smashed to drywall dust and shattered windows litter the grass with shards of burnt glass. The sun is beating down on them, but they lick the sweat from their upper lips and keep swinging their weapons until the wooded frame is reduced to splinters. They tear up the walls and toss the remains to the side and out of the way.

The clearing is filled with the sounds of cheers and demolition. The wolves are growling and the humans are laughing and when the sun starts to set, a bonfire is lit. The sound of its crackling flames overtakes everyone’s voices and soon their shadows break away to cause their own brand of mischief.

Their feet are sore and their arms ache, but they keep swinging – keep running around the house until it starts to collapse.

When the roof caves in Stiles lets loose a loud howl and the others join in.

Dust hangs in the air, but they all breathe deep. It’s therapeutic and freeing in a way only destruction can be. Their shirts lay in a pile next to the fire – contained and controlled in a way that feels safe, but they’re all aware of how dangerous it could become in a second.

Stiles feels the dirt mix with the sweat on his skin and he grins at Scott who’s pouring a water bottle over his head. They abandon their project for a water fight and soon they’re cooled down enough to resume destruction.

When Derek had suggested this, suggested tearing down the Hale house, everyone had stared at him as if he had been possessed. It was Stiles’ enthusiasm – Stiles’ eagerness to encourage Derek’s fresh start – that made the others eventually agree.

A team was coming in the morning to do the real work, but Stiles had insisted that they needed this. It wasn’t just about Derek moving forward: It was about all of them. They were connected to the house in a way that they couldn’t put in words. They’d killed in front of its windows and run from danger past its walls. They had bleed on its floor and been locked away in its basement. The house had its own pull, not as strong as the Nematon, but perhaps just as dangerous and deadly. Maybe it would be better for Beacon Hills itself if its darkest smudge could be removed: If it could be remade into something beautiful once more.

The ghosts have made themselves scarce and the woods watch in fascination as Allison blows sections of wall out with her arrows. Isaac and Scott take turns pulling up flooring and Lydia is in charge of feeding the fire with bits and pieces that fall away from the house. Peter is nowhere to be found and the twins were not invited.

No one from town comes to see where the smoke is coming from or who’s making such a racket in the dark woods. Maybe it’s because the Sheriff and Chris Argent are able to keep them away or maybe it’s because they’re not sure if they’ll make it out of the woods alive. Too many monsters have prowled through their city and maybe it’s best to let a band of them wreck an old house to keep their appetite sated.

Stiles feels the darkness cower away from his erratic swinging and Derek watches his old home crumble with an untroubled heart and clear lungs. The smoke doesn’t sting his nose this time – the wind keeps it away from them as they break through their own walls. Their backs are two seconds from giving out, but they push through the pain.

A reckless energy grips them all and when Stiles throws the sledgehammer down to grab the bottle of Jack from his Jeep, everyone grins – wild and incapable of being tamed. Scott tackles him to the ground and the warmth in Stiles’ veins makes his hard for him to shake Scott off. Isaac comes to his rescue – setting down a drink Lydia concocted for the wolves – and when Stiles is free he grabs Lydia's hand and they spin around the fire until Allison joins them.

It’s a little hard to breathe: Their lungs screaming for a break, but they don’t care. With every smash and crash and broken board their hearts fill with helium until they hit the clouds. It feels a little like an ancient ritual where the spirits of the deceased danced around the fire with them until their legs give out and they collapse next to each other wearing wide smiles. Chest heaving, Stiles lets Derek pull him off the ground and the others follow suit.

Scott, Allison, and Isaac pile onto a ratty couch they pulled from the wreckage and placed in front of the fire. Scott lets Allison curl into his chest as Isaac lies across his lap: All three of them grinning slyly at each other. Lydia’s hair fans out onto the blanket Stiles threw on the ground earlier and she wraps an arm around Scott’s leg – enjoying the feeling of his blood rushing through his body. They all stare at the house – not that it really looks like one anymore. For six people, they managed to do some serious damage and it feels good.

Stiles is leaning against the couch next to Allison and his lips curl when Derek slides behind him. His arms are hot when they wrap around Stiles’ stomach and he tries in vain not to giggle when his shoulder ends up in Derek’s mouth. He reaches behind him to cup Derek’s face with his hands and the flames illuminate the joy radiating off them both.

There’s a loud crack that reverberates through the clearing as the second floor finally collapses and they all holler in triumph. It’s a fresh start for everyone and their hearts are lighter than they’ve been in a long time when they come back the next day to an empty clearing full of promise.

**Author's Note:**

> There is only one more fic in my "For Madison" series, which I will post tomorrow. It's already written, but I might tweak it a little since I've been working on it for like a week and I'm feeling inspired all over again.


End file.
